


Ai-natomy Lesson

by tasteslikeciel



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Body Exploration, M/M, Multi, Networkshipping, Tickling, but it's all consensual!, this is a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 06:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21221915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tasteslikeciel/pseuds/tasteslikeciel
Summary: Yusaku takes a break and ropes Ryoken into helping him teach Ai about bodies.





	Ai-natomy Lesson

**Author's Note:**

> idk what this is but im glad
> 
> kudos to my friend Icy for the name!

“Yu~sa~ku~chan~!”

Yusaku grunts as a body unceremoniously flops against his back and he has to steady himself before he drops the tongs in his hand. He nearly complains because the grill is _ right here _ and it’s _ hot _ , but arms quickly snake around his middle like they belong there and suddenly he’s being nuzzled. _ Mercilessly_. He finds he can’t quite chastise his partner like he wants to after that. For better or worse, Ai is like an overgrown kitten with his constant need for affection. So, a soft sigh leaves Yusaku instead and he turns his head a bit, his nose wrinkling as dark curls obscure part of his vision.

“Ai, I’m working.” he points out and snaps the tongs for added effect. The motion is lazy, so the resulting metallic click is rather weak. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all!” Ai replies and does absolutely nothing to untangle himself from around Yusaku. If anything, the hug becomes more snug but not in a way that’s uncomfortable. On the contrary. It’s just the right amount of pressure (like having a safe weight draped around his shoulders) and he’s sure Ai is aware of this because they do this a lot. Usually at home, though. “Don’t mind me. Carry on like I’m not even here~”

Yusaku blinks, slowly, and then his brow furrows just a pinch. Ai has always been clingy and while he uses every excuse under the sun to pepper Yusaku in kisses and hugs and any other form of caring touch he believes he must use on Yusaku, he typically doesn’t do so while Yusaku is around the grill. Mostly because it’s dangerous, mostly because Yusaku has complained before and Ai ended up locked out of the truck loudly whining about being cruelly cast outside and abandoned. But if Yusaku leans into Ai’s touch despite all this and a delighted grin lights up Ai’s face in return, well, there’s no reason to mention it, right?

“I can’t concentrate on customers with you hugging me…” It’s a halfhearted complaint because there are no customers (and haven’t been for the past hour) and they both know Yusaku doesn’t mind squishy hugs like this in private. “Weren’t you watching a drama or something?”

“Eh, it ended.” Ai says with a light shrug and then clicks his tongue, eyes narrowing slightly. “That Kyou is such a hopeless guy. And Tohru? What a pair of dumbs... Oh, but next week looks _ promising_! They’ve got this Beauty and the Beast thing going on and it’s _ really _good.”

Yusaku hums, only vaguely aware of what he’s talking about. Ai has such a huge list of dramas he watches that it’s impossible to keep track of them all. He soaks up romantic stories like a sponge. Sometimes, he wonders if Ai’s secondary attribute is love-based because despite being known as “the Dark Ignis”, he’s filled to the tips of his tentacles in adoration for anything and everything to do with how humans love.

“But anyway, it got me feeling just a little bit lonely~ _ Soooo_, I decided to come shower my favourite person in the whole entire _ universe _with my Ai-patented love~!” Here, Ai spins him around like they’re performing a dance and plants a quick kiss to his forehead. Then he returns to the nuzzles and cuddling. “And help you out, of course.”

“Help out?” Yusaku echos, bewildered. He’s so used to Ai’s affectionate nature that he doesn’t bat an eye anymore towards all his touchy-feely gestures, but offering help for an unknown cause? _ Abnormal. _ “With what?”

Ai lazily throws out an arm and wiggles it at the grill. “The truck! I’ve seen you and Kusanagi use it plenty of times. I can mind the grill while you take a much-needed break~”

Having Ai in charge of anything to do with fire sounds like an idea doomed to firey failure. He’s certainly smart and learns new things fairly quickly, but can Yusaku really trust him with something like cooking when he’s never shown an interest in it before? What would Kusanagi think about this?

“Why?” And his suspicion is evident in his stare. “You think cooking is boring.”

Ai purses his lips and pokes Yusaku’s cheek. “Can’t I do something nice for my cute Origin? You look tired, I’m not doing anything, blah blah… Do you need a better reason than that?” 

“From you? Yes.”

Ai huffs and tries to snatch the tongs out of Yusaku’s hand, but Yusaku jerks his arm back and Ai’s pout grows. Ai is nothing short of devious, which is a trait of his that has only grown since obtaining his SOLtis body. The sheer amount of shenanigans he’s managed to get himself (and Yusaku) into is outrageous and sometimes it gives Yusaku a headache, particularly when it’s Duel Club-related. Now is no different. Ai is definitely up to something beyond the explanation he offered and Yusaku plans to get to the bottom of it one way or another.

“Give me the tongs.” Ai demands with a glare that’s mostly ruined by his stubborn pout. “I got this. So go have a seat and let your darling Ai-chan handle everything.”

“And if I don’t?” Yusaku counters with a glare of his own. In a battle of who can be the most stubborn, Yusaku always wins. And glares? Oh Ai is much too squishy to be vicious. “Give me one good reason to let you take over.”

Ai’s lips curl up into a mischievous, evil grin that promises all kinds of misfortune should Yusaku deny him. “Why, I’ll just tickle you until you agree, of course~ Don’t forget, my dear Yusaku-chan, that _ Ai _know all your weak points~”

He makes...a startlingly logical argument. It’s an extremely underhanded battle strategy, but that’s one fight Yusaku will definitely lose because Ai can flip his touch sensors off and on at a moment’s notice. Not to mention, he has tentacles. Yusaku, unfortunately, has neither.

“...ah.” Yusaku hums and considers that threat against his life for a solid minute before grudgingly handing over the tongs, expression as deadpan as he can make it. “Just don’t set the truck on fire.”

Ai takes the tongs out of his hands and snickers to himself, grin somehow growing more sinister by the second. Yusaku briefly wonders if both that and Ai’s lack of reassurance that he _ wouldn’t _set the truck on fire is a bad thing, but remembers the threat, remembers that he actually could use a break, and decides not to think about it. He can monitor Ai from a safe distance, after all. So he lets out a quiet sigh, shakes his head to himself, and starts removing his apron as he heads towards the back of the truck to grab a bottle of water, his purple, Ai-inspired hoodie, and his laptop before heading out to sit at one of the cafe tables.

“Care for a hot dog, Yusaku-chan~?” Ai calls out after him.

By the time Yusaku is all set up at his chosen table, Ai has discarded his school uniform jacket, tied up his hair into a poof of a ponytail, and tied an apron around his waist. He looks...surprisingly good with his white dress shirt’s rolled-up sleeves and one of Kusanagi’s spare black aprons. A bit too good, if he’s honest, but Ai will never hear such a remark from him. Nope.

“Sure.” Yusaku answers after a short pause. Because yes, he’s staring. Yes, Ai is aware of it. No, he’s really not going to acknowledge that he’s staring. Nope, nope, and nope. “...since you’re offering.”

“Mmm~” Ai’s grin is knowing, but for once, he doesn't tease Yusaku about it. He just does this little wiggle that makes his ponytail bounce, looking pleased as can be with Yusaku’s response. “Anything for my Yusaku-chan~”

They fall into a comfortable silence which Ai fills with light humming and the sound of meat sizzling on the grill. It occurs to Yusaku that he’s just agreed to be Ai’s taste-testing guinea pig and he’s slightly concerned about it, but it’s a bit too late to tell Ai no. Besides, when he glances up from his laptop for a sip of water, he locks gazes with Ai and Ai’s soft little smile makes his heart do a flutter. 

So. 

You know. 

Taking it back feels too cruel at this point.

“Oh? Well, this is a surprise.” a familiar voice suddenly calls out to him. The sound curls around his ears like a soft caress and it sends a pleasant shiver through his body. “Usually you’re still in your apron when I drop by. I guess my timing was good today.”

Yusaku blinks away from staring at Ai to see the other person he likes to shamelessly stare at --one Kogami Ryoken-- walking up to his table with a little wave. He always appears at unexpected moments, somehow knowing exactly where Kusanagi parks the truck without ever needing to ask. He’s either psychic or hasn’t dropped his habit of spying through traffic cams yet (and considering he and the other Hanoi knights are the network’s official surveillance squad now, Yusaku is leaning towards the latter).

“Ryoken.” Yusaku says in greeting, but the way he says it brings Ryoken pause, for just a moment. Ai thinks it’s amusing in a sad kind of way, but Ryoken has never known how to approach Yusaku’s tendency to be soft on him. He’s getting better at it now that peace has returned (however slow that progress is), but he still hesitates for a few fleeting seconds each and every time. “Just visiting or is this network-related?”

Ryoken shakes his head and motions for him to remain seated when Yusaku attempts to stand. 

“Just visiting this time.” he assures but there’s a hesitance still there. “I’m...trying out the ‘being normal’ thing, so no Revolver today. ...Spectre has been nagging me.”

The corners of Yusaku’s lips twitch because of course it would take either an act of God or an act of Spectre to force Ryoken to take a day off. 

“How’s that working out for you?”

“It’s...the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” Ryoken admits and they both huff out a laugh at that. “Not doing any work is making me restless… Do you mind if I join you?”

This time, Yusaku manages a soft smile. “I’d like that.”

Ryoken almost matches it. “Just a moment.”

He turns towards Cafe Nagi then and Yusaku realizes too late that he should have warned him about the “new employee” now overseeing the grill. Ryoken and Ai aren’t unfriendly towards each other, but there’s still a wariness on Ryoken’s end that Ai both complains about and teases him for. This is bound to turn ugly.

“Ah, Ryo--”

“Welcome to Cafe N-Ai-gi, Ryokkun~!”

Ah, too late indeed. 

Yusaku watches Ryoken visibly freeze before slowly turning to send him an incredulous stare. Yusaku can only offer up a shrug in response. He’s on break per Ai’s insistence, but Ryoken doesn’t need to know that. Contrary to what Ryoken might believe, Ai truly does like him (or pestering him, at least), so there’s no reason to worry about the Ignis poisoning his hot dog or doing anything remotely unpleasant to his food. Worst case scenario is the hot dog comes out burnt, but Ryoken has consumed his fair share of burnt hot dogs courtesy of Yusaku learning how grilling works. 

So. He’ll live. 

Probably.

Ryoken looks mildly put off by Yusaku’s lack of concern before stiffly turning back around.

“Since...when do you cook?” he hears Ryoken ask with some trepidation. It’s kind of amusing, but really, he ought to be used to Ai’s antics by now. “Do you even know how?”

Surprisingly, Ai isn’t insulted by this in the least. He simply cocks his hips and grins down at Ryoken with amusement dancing in his golden gaze. He’s getting enjoyment out of this and if Yusaku didn’t know any better, he’d think Ai somehow planned this whole thing out. 

..._oh_.

Yusaku lets his eyebrows raise as the thought occurs to him. Because what if Ai _ did _ somehow know Ryoken was going to drop by for a visit? He’d been weirdly insistent on taking over to the point of making childish threats, so who’s to say he didn’t have some inkling about this? He _ does _take any and every opportunity to tease the poor Hanoi leader senseless, after all.

Yusaku ponders over this revelation as he takes a sip of his water through the straw he stuck in the bottle.

...oh well, it’s too late to do anything about it now. Yusaku is on break, so Ryoken is on his own.

Ai sets a hand on his hip while the other snaps the tongs together, a short chuckle leaving him.

“Oh, I’m a quick study, Ryokkun, don’t you worry about that.” he assures with a flirty wink and a sultry purr. “Just tell me how you like it and I’ll take things nice and slow, just for you~”

There’s a long pause in which Ryoken struggles to remain impassive. Yusaku can tell by the way his shoulders tense, the way he sets his jaw, and how his hands tremble slightly from nerves. There’s even an interesting change of color creeping up his neck that Yusaku rarely sees. Small nuances like this are easy for him to pick out. Ryoken-watching is a sport he excels in, after all.

“Seriously?” Ryoken turns his way again, expression pinched. He’s probably looking for a way out of this, but-- “Fu--Yusaku?”

His heart flutters at the sound of Ryoken saying his name and he nearly melts, but he only shrugs at him again because what does Ryoken expect him to do about this? He was threatened in such a heartless way, you know? Logically, Yusaku can’t overpower Ai physically, especially not when the sly Ignis cheats. He’s not risking it, not even for his special person. 

Nope. Sorry, Ryoken. Good luck with that.

“I’m on break.”

Ryoken huffs and turns back to face Ai’s ever-growing smirk with increasing unease. It’s like he’s saying “Yusaku can’t save you now~” through his expression alone. It’s downright terrifying, in its own way.

“You gonna tell me your preferences, Ryokkun~?” Ai pushes and he looks every bit like a ravenous beast with how hungry his gaze is. “I can do _ whatever _ you like, you know? Maybe even...something that’s _ not _on the menu~?”

He waggles his eyebrows suggestively and Yusaku shakes his head at him. He really shouldn’t tease Ryoken so much. It did little to improve Ryoken’s impression of him.

“...water.” Ryoken says once he manages to speak again, although his voice is strained. “Just...water.”

Ai makes this mournful little purr and leans over the counter, eyes half-lidded and a finger curling into a lock of his hair. He’s still posturing, still trying to get Ryoken to give in. “Are you _ sure _ about that, Ryokkun? I promise it’ll be the best thing you _ ever _put in your mouth~”

Ryoken closes his eyes, lips thinning, and stresses: “_ Just water. _”

Ai’s cheeks puff out then and he backs off with a throaty groan, shoulders sagging and mood souring.

“Oh, you’re no fun at all! It’s like I’m flirting with a wall... A hot wall, but still a wall.” he grumbles and makes a shooing motion with his free hand, looking disgusted by Ryoken’s rejection. “_ Ugh _. Just go sit somewhere and I’ll bring you your stupid water.”

Ryoken does just that, practically speed walking to Yusaku’s table. When he plops down into the seat across from Yusaku, he gives him this _ look_.

To which Yusaku just shrugs. “I’m on break.”

“So you keep saying.” Ryoken sighs, frowning. “I...I’m trying to understand this thing you two have and I do for the most part, but...is letting him cook _ really _ such a good idea? You know how experimental he gets.”

“Not sure, but he insisted.” Yusaku fiddles with something on his laptop and gives Ryoken a little half-shrug. “As long as nothing melts and no one dies and it makes him happy then...you know, why not?”

Ryoken sighs again, but this time it’s soft, almost fond and with a bit of a chuckle attached. When Yusaku glances up from his laptop, he sees a soft smile on Ryoken’s lips and it’s nice, honestly. He should do that more often.

“Special delivery for the love of my life~!” Ai announces as he appears not a moment later with a little basket containing a hot dog and some fresh fries that Yusaku never asked for. He’s all smiles while handing the food over to Yusaku, but when he turns to plop Ryoken’s water bottle in front of him, he’s much less enthusiastic and pushes the bottle at him with the tip of his fingernail like it’s going to give him a virus. “...and one water for his dull date.”

Ryoken’s expression becomes unreadable. “Don’t strain yourself on my account, Ignis.”

Ai sticks his tongue out at him and then huffs, still offended that his charms weren’t acknowledged or even working on him.

“Honestly, you should be honored. How dare you ignore me like that!” Ai continues and ah, Ryoken’s done it now. Yusaku can sense one of Ai’s romantic spiels incoming and promptly nibbles into his hot dog before he can be pulled into it. The hot dog is...pretty tasty, honestly. “No response, no cute stumbling over your words to tell me I’m being indecent, and not even a blush! Blegh… It’s whatever, though. I’ll just save all my best material for my precious, wonderful Yusaku~ He’s cuter anyway.”

Ai flops onto Yusaku’s side of the table and drapes himself around him like some kind of sentient, weighted blanket. He snuggles into Yusaku like the overly affectionate feline that he is and the movements make it hard for Yusaku to eat his hot dog.

“You agree with me, right~?” Ai purrs into his ear, eyelashes fluttering.

Yusaku grunts and taps at a couple of keys on his laptop. “I’m not paid for off-the-clock opinions.”

Ai narrows his eyes at him, cheeks puffing, and Ryoken does nothing to hide his amused smirk. He does snatch up a fry, though, and pops it into his mouth. Idly, Yusaku wonders if the fries were Ai’s way of giving Ryoken something just to be nice, but doesn’t dwell on the thought for too long.

“...not bad, Ignis.” Ryoken says and waves another fry at him. “I suppose you _ can _cook after all. Shocking.”

Ai hmphs. “Well, _ duh_. I told you I’m a quick study. You’re just _ mean _.”

“Realistic.” Ryoken corrects and cocks an eyebrow up at him. “Do you really expect me to trust an A.I. that learns everything from fictional works to handle a task that involves fire? Need I remind you of that incident you started in the high school Chemistry lab last week over something you read in a manga?”

“_ Glass Beaker Love _ is a _ classic _ and those calculations were _ right _!” Ai defends and slams a fist against the table, making everything shake. “I was just a little, you know, distracted, okay!”

Yusaku remembers that incident with clarity because the distraction, in particular, had been Yusaku himself. Ai declared that he intended to make a special perfume meant to attract the person the user loves most and when he slyly mentioned he planned to test it out on Yusaku a thousand times over, Yusaku simply mentioned the test would fail because he’s already attracted to him. Ai kind of short-circuited after that and added the wrong amount of chemicals and to make a long story short, his concoction of chemicals melted through the glass beaker and destroyed the table beneath it. He’s not allowed to touch anything in the lab anymore.

“Regardless.”

“I take back my earlier compliment, you ass. You’re not hot, you’re lukewarm! ...stupid lukewarm creampuff...” Ai mumbles and cuddles back up to Yusaku’s side out of what is probably spite. He whines pitifully, then, tone drastically changing. “Yusakuuuuu, tell him to stop being so mean to meeee.”

Yusaku takes another bite of his hot dog and considers it. “I’m on break.”

Ai makes a frustrated noise and pokes Yusaku’s side. “Maybe I’ll tickle you after all. I’m _ bored_. Entertain me~”

A bored Ai is a dangerous Ai and Yusaku has no intention of allowing himself to be held captive for Ai’s amusement. So, there’s only one thing to do. Sorry again, Ryoken, but Ai requires a sacrifice and Yusaku, for the not-so-final time, is on break.

“Don’t you have homework or something you need to finish?” Yusaku prompts and at Ai’s questioning “Hah??”, Yusaku elaborates. “You know, some school thing you needed help with? Biology or something? Maybe Ryoken can help you until my shift is over.”

Ai blinks and then understanding dawns on his face. “_Ooohh_. Right, _ right! _ That thing you keep nagging me about, but then get all huffy when I try to learn. _ That _ school thing. _ Riiiiiigght _~”

He eyes Ryoken with a predatory gleam in his eyes and hums in a sing-songy way. Ryoken, understandably, looks a bit wary.

“...uhm.” Ryoken blinks rapidly and stares at them both like they’re some kind of aliens. It’s exceedingly rare he resorts to using filler sounds, but he looks so baffled by Yusaku’s proposition and Ai’s follow-up threatening stare that he’s struggling to make sense of it. “Wh--excuse me?” 

“Well, I can’t help him right now, for obvious reasons.” Yusaku continues. He points at the truck. “Working.”

“But you’re on break.” Ryoken points out, but he pauses and holds up a hand before Yusaku can say anything more about it. “_ Don’t. _ Don’t bother. I get it.”

He huffs out a sigh and crosses his arms over the table, lips twisting in amusement.

“For someone so intent on saving everyone around him, you’re surprisingly lazy.” he continues and shakes his head a little. “To the point you’d even shove off your A.I. onto me just because it’s less effort to do so.”

Yusaku smiles a little. “Glad you understand. So, is that a yes?”

“I’m not someone who just agrees to something without first knowing what it is.” Ryoken points out. “Even if it is coming from you.”

Yusaku takes a loud sip of his water, expression back to his typical relaxed frown. “I’m hurt.”

“I tend to do that.” And for once, those words are less self-deprecating and more meant as a tease. “But...well, I’m not saying yes _ yet_, but I _ might _ be willing to help, depending on what the subject is. You mentioned Biology?”

Ai slaps a hand onto the table before Yusaku has a chance to explain. “Study body.”

“Don’t...you mean ‘study _ buddy’ _?” Ryoken tries to correct, but Ai merely shakes his head and Yusaku sighs at him for it.

“That implies we’re looking at actual text. No, no.” Ai wags a finger from side to side, tsking at the thought of doing something so mundane. “What _ Ai _ need is a _ real _ human body to examine. And a _ live _ one, before you get any weird ideas.”

That...well, Yusaku tried to suggest Ai take up cadaver studying like the university offers for medical students, but Ai was vehemently against the idea for three reasons. 

1: It’s creepy. 

2: It’s boring.

3: He’s seen one truly dead body (several times) in his life and doesn’t want to see another one ever again.

He then went on to complain that nude studies in an artistic setting were even more boring because he couldn’t actually touch anything. So, the only logical followup suggestion had been for Yusaku to hesitantly offer himself up as study material and Ai latched onto his offer with fervent glee. The whole thing started off well enough, too. Ai flipped through things in their notes to cross-check with Yusaku’s body and better understand how something functioned and it was as innocent as it sounds. Ai was always careful, sometimes somber about it when he touched a certain place and said things Yusaku didn’t understand about other lifetimes he lived (in the simulations) where the Yusaku of that world suffered and died in Ai’s shaking arms. Sometimes Yusaku wonders about it, about what sort of phantom wounds Ai sees marking his body when he gets like that. But he never asks and doesn’t think he ever will.

However, things quickly changed --because of course they did. Ai’s natural state is that of an evil gremlin who delights in making Yusaku squirm, so it was only a matter of time before he found sensitive spots and started exploiting his new-found knowledge to drag giggles and gasps out of him. Suddenly those sullen, intimate touches became teasing and experimental. Fingers were sometimes replaced with lips and clothing gradually became less and less of a thing they bothered with.

But that’s not something Ryoken needs to know about. Not really.

Ryoken frowns at them. “I came here to see _ you_, not become a study doll for some A.I.’s entertainment.”

Fair. Very fair. However--

“I’m on break.” Yusaku repeats, earning a deadly eye narrow from Ryoken (which he fully ignores). “Besides, I’m not in the mood to be fondled. He always goes straight for the sensitive spots, so he never actually learns anything.”

Ai crosses his arms with a petulant frown.

“It’s not _ my _ fault you have a cute laugh!” Ai huffs defensively. His expression is quick to change into something more thoughtful, however, and he taps a finger against his chin. “And well, I mean, I _ do _ learn a lot from those ‘study sessions’. Hands-on body exploration is a lot more entertaining than looking at boring old diagrams. Honestly, how do you humans even learn anything from that stuff? You can’t touch it or feel it. It’s so technical!”

He says that, but Yusaku knows Ai just likes making him squirm. He doesn’t mind it (not really). It’s Ai and he’s always mindful in keeping his touches light because he might be insufferable at times, but he isn’t cruel. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone (least of all Yusaku). But still. Sometimes Ai’s fingers get a little too adventurous, a little too teasing, a little too flirty, and it all ends in Yusaku making sounds and faces he otherwise wouldn’t. So if he can avoid it, great.

Ryoken looks a bit pink but levels a contemplative stare on them like he isn’t. “...are these ‘sessions’ related to the material, at least?”

“Kind of.” Yusaku answers before Ai has a chance to. He sets his half-eaten hot dog down and shakes his head a little. “He glosses over notes but refuses to actually look at the material. If he can’t touch it and examine it up-close, then it’s boring. That’s why he’s failing the class.”

“I gathered as much,” Ryoken stares at Ai, head tilting a bit like he’s trying to piece together a particularly irksome puzzle. “but it really is absurd to think an A.I. would dismiss technical knowledge like that on the basis of it being ‘too boring’.”

“Well it is!” Ai defends and fluffs up his poofy ponytail. “I’m only taking the stupid class because Yusaku is there, but if I fail, then I can’t be with him. And since _ someone _says it’s immoral to change grades--”

“It’s impractical.” Yusaku interrupts. “And a waste of skill.”

Ryoken’s eyebrows shoot up and he looks alarmed. “No. _ No_. It _ is _immoral. I have long accepted your laziness, but you better not have--”

Yusaku waves him off, unconcerned. Because of course he hasn’t. The thought has certainly crossed his mind before, but it ultimately felt pointless since school has never been a top priority for him. He’s only still there now because Ai and Kusanagi both insisted he at least graduate.

“That’s too much effort to go through for no reason.”

Ryoken looks like he’s going to continue to argue with him, but he stops, shakes his head to himself, and doesn’t.

“Right. Laziness.”

“Mm.”

Ai clicks his tongue. “Yeah, well, moving on... You in or what? I’m not gonna do anything weird to you aside from the obvious. Besides, if it makes you feel better, he can watch me.”

“Mm.” That hadn’t been the point of bringing the subject up, but Yusaku is a bit curious. “Sure.”

Ryoken’s lips twist and he takes a moment to stare up at the sky, brows knit and expression unsure. Yusaku is sure he’s going to say no, but after a long moment of contemplation in which his cheeks redden ever so slightly, Ryoken seems to make up his mind and surprises them when he turns back with a somewhat defeated look.

“Sure,” he answers, almost looking like he regrets his choice the moment the words leave his mouth. “but not here and you have to keep everything above the waist. Are we clear?”

Ai’s gives him a mysterious smile in response. “Certainly, Ryokkun~”

-x-x-

Entering the old Kogami residence after nearly a year is awkward to the nth degree. The last time Yusaku and Ai stepped foot inside this place was to shut down the Tower of Hanoi and in Yusaku’s case, save his special person. Nowadays Ryoken is only ever seen cruising on his —now bigger— yacht along with the rest of the Hanoi knights. _ It’s better to have a moving base of operations_, Ryoken said once, but Yusaku suspects returning to his home by the sea is too painful an experience for him. This place carries a lot of memories and Ryoken being Ryoken, he’d try his hardest to avoid those unpleasant feelings as much as humanly possible. He’s worse than Yusaku is about not letting himself feel and heal. 

But Yusaku thinks, perhaps, he’s more at ease regarding his father’s death now that peace has nestled itself into their lives. His smiles come a little more easily, his visits are less VR business and more his own desire to become a proper friend to Yusaku, and despite his lingering unease concerning Ai, he’s far less prickly about Ai’s general existence than he used to be. He’s making efforts to better both himself and his relationships and it’s a cozy feeling to know Yusaku had a hand in making that happen.

“...you know, I’ve thought about selling this place.” Ryoken says quietly, gaze situated out past the line of windows facing the ocean. The taut line of his shoulders is quite noticeable and his face is a little too carefully blank as he speaks in a detached sort of way. “...after I clean it out, at least. There’s—...well. It’s not like I’m ever here anymore. It would be remiss of me to let this place sit here collecting dust.”

“Ryoken…”

Yusaku’s hand twitches, itching to slide itself up across Ryoken’s shoulder. He wants to comfort him in some way, smooth away the unease and melt away the sadness. This place...it means a lot to Ryoken. Dr. Kogami isn’t a man Yusaku cares for or will ever forgive (and he’s certain that if Hell exists, that man is going to burn in it for all eternity), but growing up with someone like that, with a man who toyed with Ryoken’s feelings, put his shady research first, and then left him behind to clean up all his messes? That really ruined Ryoken in a lot of ways his friend still won’t acknowledge. It’s not fair and Yusaku really does consider reaching out to touch him but forces his hands into his hoodie pocket instead. He keeps silent, unsure what to say in a situation like this.

“Sounds good to me!” Luckily, Ai is here to shoo the tide of depressing thoughts away before they can become something tangible and dangerous. With a little twirl, he does exactly what Yusaku thought about doing and sets a hand atop Ryoken’s shoulder. Only, he slings an arm around his shoulder and squishes up to Ryoken’s side as well. “Kind of a shame because it has such a great view, but if all this place does is make you look like a depressed marshmallow, it’s probably for the best~”

In the face of Ai’s teasing charm and his catty smile, the effect is instantaneous. Ryoken’s blank indifference melts into irritation and he huffs right out of whatever memories he’s lost in.

“You have no tact. No wonder you’re failing class.” he complains and shrugs away from Ai’s touch with a sigh. “How did you wheedle me into agreeing to this again? I don’t even like you.”

Not totally true, but Ryoken never has been honest about his feelings.

“This is the part where you say you find me stunning and irresistible and can’t wait to have my hands all over you...” Ai grumbles with a pout as he tugs at a stray curl of black hair that’s come out of his updo. “But: Yusaku. That’s why.” 

Here, a sinister grin stretches across Ai’s face and he snickers --because it’s true. The moment Yusaku agreed to oversee the proposed “study session” and keep Ai’s more mischievous tendencies in check, Ryoken became less combative to the idea and more open. He might not trust Ai all that much, but he trusts Yusaku, at least.

“You really _ are _ weak when it comes to him, you know?” Ai continues and his smirk only grows at Ryoken’s growing irritation. “It’s kind of adorable, really. Which is weird coming from you. You’re like, _ the least _adorable person I know, but I guess even the mighty Revolver-sensei’s gotta have his cute moments, eh~?”

Ryoken scowls at him and Yusaku hides a smile behind his hoodie sleeve.

“Shut up, Ignis...” Ryoken runs a hand through his hair and gestures to an adjacent hallway with his other. “Come on. Standing here is starting to make me feel weird. We’ll...relocate to my old bedroom.”

Ai makes an interested noise. “You mean _ current _bedroom?”

Ryoken shakes his head. “_ Old_. I don’t exactly live here anymore. I haven’t for a little over a year. You know that.”

“Is that why you got a bigger boat?” Yusaku questions, curious. He knows the whole spiel about feeling safer out on the ocean, but he’s always been curious how living on a boat with four others faired. “It’s more like a cruise liner than a yacht.”

“More or less.” Ryoken replies with a nod. “As you can imagine, our previous living arrangements were less than ideal. Granted, at the time, the end goal had been imprisonment, so I didn’t care about it much.”

Ryoken pointedly ignores the frown Yusaku levels on him.

“But plans changed.” Ryoken continues and motions for he and Ai to follow along after him as they change rooms. “I had no desire to return here, but I couldn’t just leave Den City, so--”

“Bigger boat?” Ai interrupts.

“Bigger boat.” Ryoken confirms with another nod.

They pass through the adjacent hallway and follow along through another hallway and a set of stairs leading upward until they arrive at a bedroom, who’s door has been left slightly ajar. There’s one other door on this floor, but it’s shut tight and Ryoken ignores it entirely. Idly, Yusaku wonders what’s in it, but Ryoken enters the open bedroom after only a brief moment of hesitation and so he and Ai shuffle in after him.

“Hunh.” Ai takes the time to glance around, blinking in surprise at the simplicity of the room. It’s rather expansive for simply one person and is filled up with lavish furniture, but there’s no pictures or other personal effects decorating the place. It looks more like an upscale hotel room than a personal bedroom. “Don’t know what I was expecting, but this is plainer than I thought…”

It’s pristine and sterile, hardly lived in. It’s true that Ryoken hasn’t been here in a really long time (probably not since he fled after the tower was shut down), but there should be some signs still left to indicate he used it once. An unmade bed or open drawers or an article of clothing left out somewhere in a rush, etc., but there’s nothing like that. Yusaku doesn't think Ryoken has any reason to lie about something this trivial, but if this truly is his bedroom, then did he actually ever use it or was he so wrapped up in leading the Knights of Hanoi and helping his father that he spared very little time for himself?

Knowing how high the possibility of that is makes Yusaku’s blood boil and he narrows his eyes at the bed, a sense of irritation causing his lips to dip into a deep frown.

“Hoping to find something embarrassing, Ignis?” Ryoken prompts and softly snorts. “Too bad. All the family stuff is locked up in that other room in the hallway to keep them from prying eyes. No sneaky androids allowed.”

Ai’s lips curl up into a mischievous smirk. “Oho~ Telling me where the good stuff is, are you? You should know better than that, Ryokkun~ What’s to stop me from breaking in and finding all your embarrassing naked baby pictures~?”

“Because.” Ryoken says, the small trace of a smirk he had disappearing before it can really form. “That’s my mother’s room.”

It’s hard to tell what Ryoken is thinking because his tone is carefully devoid of emotion, but there’s a telltale shimmer in his eyes as he stares at the wall, seeing beyond it to the locked room on the other side. 

“She died a long time ago.” Ryoken continues and turns away from them. “I was too young to remember her, but before he became consumed by his work, Father said she loved taking pictures of me. So, it’s only fair they should remain in her care.”

He’s never mentioned his mother once in all the time Yusaku has known him and of course he’d have one because everyone, at one point or another, has a mother, but it still comes as a shock to hear him speak the words. It’s a touchy subject, certainly.

Ai sobers up rather quickly. “_Oh_.”

“Mm…”

The room falls silent then, neither one of them offering up anything to dispel the awkward atmosphere. Ai sways on his feet and fiddles with his ponytail out of nerves while Ryoken does nothing but stare off into the distance. Yusaku looks between the two and finally huffs because this...this isn’t why they came here. Yusaku didn’t temporarily close up shop and text Kusanagi about it merely to have these two drown themselves in their own guilt. Typically, Ai is the one who shoves himself into tense situations to lighten the mood, but Yusaku finds himself pulling up the school holopad he brought and clearing his throat himself.

“Are we going to study or should I go back to my lunch?” he asks and walks over to plop down on Ryoken’s bed. It’s a bit on the firm side in a way that suggests it hasn’t been used very much, further fueling his theory that Ryoken barely ever used the room. He glances up at Ryoken. “You might as well strip. Ai’s going to complain otherwise.” 

That seems to do the trick because Ryoken bristles and Ai makes a delighted hum at the proposal.

“Oh yes, strip!”

“_Absolutely not._”

The simultaneous albeit wildly different responses are kind of amusing, but instead of cracking a smile, Yusaku turns his attention to pulling up the material they needed on the holopad. He’s done the deed and planted a seed to get them speaking again, so he feels like he’s done enough for now.

“Oh, come on!” Ai whines and tugs at Ryoken’s blazer. “How do you expect me to learn anything with all these _ things _in the way?”

Ai says “things” like they’re some horrible, vile, disease-ridden abominations. He even sneers at Ryoken’s clothes for added effect.

Ryoken huffs at him and swats his hands away. “Just because you walked around without clothes for the first decade or so of your life and have no sense of personal space doesn’t mean you can complain when everyone else wears them.”

Ai’s cheeks puff. “I totally _ can _ and I _ am_.”

“_No_.”

“Then at least take off your jacket! I can work with that.”

Ryoken looks to Yusaku for a way out but ends up plopping down beside him with a heavy sigh at his response.

“On break.”

“We’re not--” But Ryoken runs a hand through his hair and lets the argument die on his lips. To Ai’s delight, he starts to shrug out of his blazer in defeat. “You’re a menace, you know that?”

Yusaku continues to scroll through the holopad and doesn’t look up, although he does give a rather bland reply. 

“Love you, too.”

Ryoken sends him a deadpan stare and tosses his blazer aside.

“So!” Ai claps his hands together, excitement causing him to be a little bouncy in anticipation. He’s certainly far more ready for this than Ryoken is. “Where to begin, where to _ start_~?”

“Don’t say it like that.” Ryoken grumbles. He leans back on his hands regardless, clearly trying to appear indifferent but still managing to look tense. “What exactly are wanting to study, first of all? You can start there.”

Ai shrugs. “Everything? This SOLtis body can only teach me so much, you know. ...everything _ above _the waist, of course.”

“Hm.” Ryoken looks skeptical. 

“Welll~” Ai continues without any prompting and moves around to sit next to Ryoken. He eyes him up like a piece of candy he’s intent on devouring and it’s a little intimidating. “Your body is pretty different from Yusaku’s. I mean, you’re both on the skinny side, but you’ve got a bit more muscle tone than he does. I’d like to explore the differences.”

“...I think I’ve made a mistake.” Ryoken frowns, a bit uneasy. “This is rather unorthodox…”

“We can always stop, if you’re that uncomfortable with it.” Yusaku assures him. He looks up from the holopad and offers a little smile. “Or, we can always not do anything at all. We’re not going to force you into it. It’s up to you.”

Ai makes a face, but he doesn’t argue. Consent is an important thing and he understands that. Ryoken did agree before, but if he’s changed his mind, they need to honor that.

Ryoken takes a moment to think about it but shakes his head.

“No. It’s fine.” And he sounds confident enough about that. However, his tone changes dramatically and he looks a bit uncomfortable about something. “I just...I’m not used to touch, so I’m not sure what I should do to make things go smoothly...”

Ah.

That...says an awful lot about Ryoken’s life, but it’s something Yusaku can relate heavily to. Until Ai came along, Yusaku used to say the same thing because he’s never had anyone there for him to hold onto. No parents, no older siblings, no relatives of any kind. He’s spent a huge chunk of his youth completely and utterly alone. Sure, he went through therapy and had something of a support system available to him, but it didn’t help. He would have panic attacks trying to play with other children and having anyone try to touch him made his chest tight and his breath short. About the only person he ever allowed to be near him was his therapist, but he’d long stopped seeing her prior to his fateful meeting with Kusanagi. 

Now, though, he has a lot of people. Ai has been especially helpful with exploring his fears of touch, so he’s a lot more open to it now than he used to be. And Ryoken will have the same opportunity, if Yusaku has any say in it --and he does, right now in fact.

“Don’t worry about it. Just leave the heavy lifting to me~” Ai ruffles a hand through Ryoken’s hair, making him scoff. It’s a tease, but he’s actually being sincere. “Oh, but one thing. I’ve said this to Yusaku, so I’m saying it to you, too. If something feels wrong or you want me to stop, _ tell me_. I like teasing you and sometimes you can be an ass, but I don’t want to hurt you, okay? I can’t read minds, got it?”

Ai can be oddly serious when he wants to be and it has Ryoken blinking, surprised, and silently nodding his consent.

“Good.” Ai nods in satisfaction, happy they’ve got all their boundaries set up. He sets a hand atop Ryoken’s shoulder, a solemn look on his face. “Now strip.”

Ryoken flicks him on the forehead. “_Get out_. Yusaku can take your place.”

“_Ow_! And after I was nice to you, you _ jerk_!”

Yusaku sighs at them and runs his finger down the holopad’s screen. He stops at a section about the upper body’s muscular makeup and how they fit against bone segments and other parts of the body. It’s as good a place as any to start, he supposes.

“Biceps...triceps...both. Arms then.” he supplies since neither of his two companions want to be helpful. “Start there.”

Ai rubs his forehead, feigning tears. “_Nu-unh_. If he’s going to be a jerk, then I don’t want to play with him!”

“We’re learning, not playing.” Ryoken tuts. He offers his arm out to Yusaku instead and ah, there’s his teasing side coming out in the form of a smirk. “Then sit there and sulk, Ignis. I’ll let _ him _do it instead and you can read the boring notes on it later.”

Yusaku’s eyebrows raise and he stares like he’s being offered something questionably lewd, but he takes a moment to himself and considers the fact that he has an opportunity to actually touch Ryoken and decides he shouldn’t waste it. So, he shrugs a little, sets the holopad into his lap, and tentatively reaches up to run his fingers along Ryoken’s upper arm. Unlike his own, Ryoken’s muscles are a bit more defined, more shapely. It’s not a startlingly huge difference, but enough of one that it’s noticeable. 

“You are more defined.” he mumbles to himself and tilts his head a bit, curiosity shimmering in his eyes. He traces along Ryoken’s bicep through the form-fitting pink top Ryoken is wearing and Ryoken shivers as Yusaku travels all the way up to his shoulder. “What about--”

He presses down a bit, just enough to apply a little pressure and not enough for it to hurt. His muscles are firm and it’s interesting to feel the difference between them.

“Ah--”

Yusaku pauses. “You okay?”

“Y...yeah. It’s nothing.” he assures and clears his throat, lips twisted in an odd way. “I’m fine just--I’m fine.”

He wonders about that, but decides to take Ryoken’s word for it and continues to smooth his hands over Ryoken’s shoulder and neck and dips down to travel across his chest, eventually coming back to his arm. It’s a strange thing being the one to do the exploring and he’s a little clumsy about it, but Ryoken doesn’t seem to mind it. He shivers and makes faces and color creeps up his neck and stains his cheeks in pink, but he doesn’t do anything to stop Yusaku.

Hunh.

Does he like this?

“Yeesh, get a room.”

Yusaku peers around Ryoken to see Ai sitting there with his arms crossed and a sour look on his face. In response, Yusaku merely gestures at Ryoken.

“Feel free to take over at any time.” he says and shakes his head a little. “Ai, _ you’re _the one who wanted to do this in the first place. I don’t really care about this stuff, but I know more than you do about it.”

Ryoken sends him a curious glance. “If you don’t care, then why bother? Doesn’t that go against your code of laziness?”

Yusaku squeezes his upper arm a little, making him twitch. “Not really. I was curious and it’s you so… It’s worth the effort.”

Ryoken looks like he might dissolve into a puddle on the spot. “...oh. I see...”

Ai sighs at them. “Okay, lovebirds, break it up! The only thing I’m learning here is how mushy you two get over each other. Which is cute, don’t get me wrong, but we’re not here for that.”

Ai is quick to shove Ryoken onto his back and straddle his waist before either of them has a chance to protest. Not that Yusaku is in much of a position to protest it, but he is a little put off by being denied touching rights.

“I want the juicy details.” Ai continues and hums down at his prey. “So show me a good time~”

Yusaku just hums and returns to eyeing the holopad. “That didn’t take long…”

“Can’t you do anything normally?” Ryoken complains. He doesn’t try to shove Ai off, though. He probably thinks about it, but just kind of settles down into a more comfortable position instead. “At least warn me first.”

Ai grins. “Warning, warning~ You’re about to be shamelessly fondled by a gorgeous man~! Lucky you!”

Ryoken scowls at him. “You _ know _what I meant.”

“I did, but I was also considerate enough to warn you about my next set of intentions~” Ai taps at Ryoken’s nose and titters. “Aren’t I nice?”

“You’re a nuisance.”

Ai pokes him in retaliation and then uses that as his opening to smooth his hands over Ryoken’s chest. He makes an awed noise and does it again but more slowly this time.

“I’ve seen other humans with larger bodies,” he starts and takes his time feeling up his pecs. As you do. “but it really is such a huge difference in feeling! Yusaku’s so cute and small and I love being able to just scoop him up whenever, but _ wow_. Very firm, very nice~”

Ai looks absolutely fascinated. He moves one to feel up Ryoken’s arms and shoulders and slides his hand up his neck. Anywhere he can touch and examine with Ryoken’s rule in mind, he goes for and through it all, Ryoken hardly fusses. His cheeks remain a faint shade of pink and sometimes he makes a snide comment when Ai lingers in one spot too long, but things move along just fine.

And then they don’t because, well, _ it’s Ai _ and there’s only so long he can go without feeling a need to shake things up and experiment.

“Broader shoulders, more defined chest… Interesting!” Ai chirps, but his expression takes on a sinister twist. “But you haven’t been complaining at me much and I’m _ really _curious about something~”

Without any warning, Ai’s fingers skitter up his sides and fan out against his ribs, but Ryoken doesn’t even flinch, much to Ai’s disappointment. Some part of Yusaku even feels the tiniest bit disappointed as well. He’s never heard Ryoken laugh beyond amused huffs and considering how much he likes his voice...well, it would have been a treat to hear.

“That _ always _ gets Yusaku…” Ai grumbles, shoulders slumping a bit. He tries digging his fingers in next, but that has the same result: absolutely nothing. No twitches, no suppressed smiles, no squirming of any kind, no alarmed looks. Ryoken merely raises a brow at him and says nothing while looking bored with Ai’s childish attacks. “You humans have really sensitive nervous systems, right? What, did the school _ lie _to me? Why doesn’t this work on you?”

“Because I’m not ticklish, Ignis.” Ryoken says and this time he sends up a haughty smirk when Ai narrows his eyes down at him, like he’s offended by Ryoken’s lack of sensitivity. “Nice try, but it’s going to take a lot more than those feeble attempts to coax a reaction out of me. You’re supposed to be learning and not playing anyway.”

Yusaku’s eyes widen a bit at that and he glances between the two, a bit concerned, because that’s probably the worst thing Ryoken could have said. He might not be ticklish, but there’s still plenty of other ways Ai can make him squirm and given enough time, Ai _ will _find some way to turn Ryoken into a blushing mess. For his sake, he better hope Ai doesn’t decide to whip out his tentacles and use them because nothing is going to save Ryoken from being mercilessly manhandled by those squishy things.

“Different people have different levels of sensitivity.” Yusaku chimes in. He scrolls through a few paragraphs of text and pictures of various anatomical models but doesn’t find anything on the topic of sensitivity. It really is as technical as Ai says it is. “Hmm… Well, the weak areas tend to be the same, but it is what it is.”

“Well that’s annoying…” Ai complains but switches up his tactics regardless. Instead of purposely trying to tease him, he goes back to studying the various dips and defined muscles that makeup Ryoken’s chest and abs. “You’re nice to look at and all, but you’re not making this very fun for me, you know?”

“Good.”

Ai scowls at him. Defiance flares up in those golden eyes and Ai reaches down to lightly pinch at a bit of exposed skin just above Ryoken’s hip. It’s breaching their earlier agreement, but Yusaku knew ahead of time that this would happen. Ai is far too curious for his own good. It doesn’t help matters that Ryoken has no qualms about provoking him. These two are eternally destined to butt heads, it seems.

However, this time, it looks like Ryoken horrendously miscalculated because the moment Ai’s fingers brush over the top of his hip, he jerks away from the touch as much as he’s able to, a look of alarm crossing his features.

Yusaku and Ai both blink at this, slowly.

“I said to keep it above the waist!” Despite the angry edge in Ryoken’s voice, there’s a weak waver of something else, too. Not to mention a bit of pink flushing his cheeks. “If you can’t follow simple instructions, then I--”

Experimentally, Ai trails his fingers across the top of Ryoken’s slacks and purposefully tickles above his hip and the reaction is immediate. Ryoken arches away from the touch yet again, but this time with a little _ squeak _ and Ai’s resulting grin is nothing short of deadly.

“My my _ my _ ~ _ Not _ ticklish, hunh?” Ai purrs and tsks at him. His voice is a teasing singsong that Yusaku is intimately familiar with. Ryoken isn’t getting out of this situation unscathed. “Seems like someone _ liieeed _~”

“_I’m_ _not_. You just surprised me.” Ryoken is _very _quick to deny Ai’s statement. A bit _too _quick. “If you’re going to break our agreement, _then get off_. I’ve humored you enough as it is.”

Ryoken tries to push Ai off, but Ai grabs hold of his wrists and pins him to the bed instead. The action leaves Ryoken blinking up at him in a brief moment of confusion, but then his eyebrows knit and he glares in a way Yusaku has only ever associated with Revolver.

“_Get off_.”

Ai hums. “I dunno~ I think liars should be punished, don’t you think~?”

Ai snickers, pearly white teeth showing as he grins down at him. Ryoken tries to fight back, but Ai makes good use of that inhuman, android strength of his and keeps Ryoken’s wrists pinned to the bed with ease. It comes at the expense of Ai having his hands full, but he turns and sends Yusaku a suggestive little wink.

“I caught a criminal, so help me out here.” Ai says and his grin grows despite Ryoken’s continued protests. “You’re not gonna get a chance like this again~”

Yusaku takes in Ryoken’s murderous gaze and the mischievous gleam in Ai’s golden eyes and decides, yeah. Ai’s right. He’s _ not _getting another chance like this ever again. It’s a little mean, but just a bit of teasing won’t hurt, right?

Yusaku weighs his options and feels some rare touch of playfulness flitter inside. He eyes his opening and shifts to set aside the holopad before wordlessly reaching down to tease at the skin just above Ryoken’s hip. His touch is even softer than Ai’s and it has Ryoken twitching and helplessly squirming underneath Ai, struggling to keep a straight face. Just like before, it seems like Yusaku’s touch has more of an effect on him than Ai’s. Fitting, considering Yusaku ended up being the one to actually tickle him.

“Fujiki, st—!” Ryoken makes some little whine and bites down on his bottom lip. “St—!”

Fujiki? Did he really just call him “Fujiki” after finally using his first name earlier? That has Yusaku pouting —just a little— in disappointment and in a moment of petty revenge, he decides to reach over and tweak his other side, too. And like he’s just drained up the last bits of Ryoken’s willpower, he’s instantly rewarded with a startled, airy giggle.

“_Bingo_! There it is!” Ai chirps, looking incredibly proud of his Origin. “Nice work, nice work~ _ Buuut _ I think we can do better than that. Right, Ryokkun~?”

Ryoken’s face is _ red_. “Wait just a—”

But he _ squeaks _ because Yusaku doesn’t give him a chance to plead for mercy —because unfortunately for him, Yusaku is feeling decidedly _ evil_. He keeps on teasing his helpless friend, dragging more and more surprisingly cute giggles out of him until he finally, properly, earns a laugh. And the sound is honestly far nicer than he could have ever imagined it to be. Ryoken is always so closed-off and stone-faced and just so _ serious_. So his laugh, as if in opposition to his uptight nature, is squeaky, unrestrained, and _ delightful_.

“F-Fuji—! _ Fujiki _!”

But he’s probably teased Ryoken enough. Still, there’s an idea sitting around in his mind that he can’t quite ignore.

“Well...alright. I’ll stop,” Yusaku gives in with a hum, but he keeps spidering his fingers against Ryoken’s skin despite that, a tiny amused smile crossing his lips. “but only if you stop calling me ‘Fujiki’.”

“Ooo~ Such an evil demand!” Ai coos. “But gotta agree there. It’s fine if you just call him ‘Yusaku’, you know?”

A small condition and an admittedly selfish one, but Ryoken has shown he’s capable of using Yusaku’s first name when the mood strikes him. So, hey, he should do it more. 

Or else.

Ryoken, despite his silly grin and flushed cheeks, looks a bit taken aback by that, but he’s quick to agree to Yusaku’s terms. He doesn’t have much of a choice, really.

“F-fine, _ fine_! You win!”

Yusaku can’t help the tiny laugh he huffs out.

“Good.” he says with a pleased nod before he finally shows his poor rival mercy. He’s still amused, though, and has to turn away a bit to keep his smile hidden behind his sleeve. “I like it when you say my name… But I’m surprised, though. I barely even touched you.”

He never imagined someone like Ryoken could be so sensitive, but teasing him was worth it. He’s not quite as tense as before.

“Th...that was the whole problem…” Ryoken looks embarrassed to admit as much and turns his head away since he’s still trapped underneath Ai and can’t really move anything else. “Your hands are too soft…”

“_Wow_.” Ai says in amazement. “So you _ literally _ can’t handle someone being soft with you, mentally _ or _ physically. Especially not when that someone is Yusaku, hunh?”

Ryoken tries to kick him.

Ai titters. “Wellll, it’s not embarrassing naked baby pictures, but I _ finally _ have some dirt on you! So I think we can call today’s study session a _ huge _ success~!”

“Do you not have a mute button?” Ryoke glares up at him, but sadly it loses most of its fierceness due to his flushed appearance. “_ Shut up _ and get off me already!”

Ai pouts. “I bet if it was Yusaku on top of you, you wouldn’t be complaining. You _ like it _when he touches you.”

Ryoken, surprisingly enough, doesn’t have a response to that. He just looks, if anything, more embarrassed. 

**Author's Note:**

> still glad


End file.
